C. C. Rider

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

This was sung by Bobby with the Dead from 1979 onwards. Pigpen did earlier versions, though not - seemingly - with the Dead. Bob Weir also sang it with Kingfish in the mid-1970s and with Bobby & The Midnites in the early 1980s.

See also Easy Rider for the lyrics Spencer Davis sang when he did this song with the Dead.

C C Rider, see what you have done
C C Rider, see what you have done
You made me love you, now your man done gone

Well I'm goin' away baby, and I won't be back till fall
Well I'm goin' away baby, and I won't be back till fall
Well if I find me a good girl, I might not be back at all

Well now C, C C Rider, see now the moon is shining bright
Well now C, C C Rider, see now the moon is shining bright
Just might find me that good girl and everything would be alright

Pigpen's version

C C Rider, now see what you done done
Made me love you, now your man done gone
Made me love you, now your man done gone

I'm gonna buy me a pistol, long as I am tall
I'm gonna kill that woman, catch that old cannonball
I'm gonna kill that woman, catch that old cannonball

I'm gonna leave on Wednesday, won't be back till Saturday night
I'm gonna leave on Wednesday, won't be back till Saturday night
And if my women don't treat me right, I won't be back at all

C C Rider, where you been all night?
C C Rider, where you been all night?
Well your head's all messed up and your pants don't fit you right

And now mamma, I can't stand it no more
Mamma, I can't stand it no more
I get so strange peeking through the keyhole in your door
Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
     26 Dec 1979 Dick's Picks Vol 5
     13 Oct 1980 Dead Set (note 1)
     9 Mar 1981 In And Out Of The Garden
     16 May 1981 30 Trips Around The Sun
      6 Apr 1982 Road Trips Volume 4, Number 4
      7 Aug 1982 Dick's Picks Vol 32
     11 Sep 1983 Dave's Picks Vol 52
     14 Oct 1983 Dick's Picks Vol 6
     21 Oct 1983 30 Trips Around The Sun
      3 May 1986 30 Trips Around The Sun
     26 Mar 1987 Dave's Picks Volume 36
     10 Sep 1991 30 Trips Around The Sun
 
Other Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     June/July 1970 Festival Express (movie) Ian & Sylvia with Jerry Garcia and others
     31 Dec 1975 Garcia Live Volume 5 Jerry Garcia Band
      3 Apr 1976 In Concert (King Biscuit Flower Hour) Kingfish

Notes
(1) issued as a bonus track in the box set Beyond Description (1973-1990)


Further Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com

 


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